Try A Little Tenderness
by LibbyKate
Summary: A one-shot on how Puck and Santana came up with the name for their baby. Ties in a little bit with Candles and Kisses.


**Hey everyone- I'm back! Sorry it's taken me so long, I've been without a computer and have just gotten it back. I've also been working slightly too much/ competing for gym and cheer so all my free time went out the window. This has been on my computer for a while; I've finally been able to finish it, yay! I've got a few updates planned for Candles and Kisses which I'm working on at the moment. In the meantime, please let me know what you think- I love getting reviews and really appreciate the feedback. You're all amazing.  
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**Manda: as always this is for you lovely one . Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer- Obviously I don't own Glee or their characters. Sad face.**

**Enjoy!**

"Eggo"

"I'm not naming my child after a waffle. Grow up Puckerman." She's starting to get a little frustrated. They still haven't decided on a name, the baby will be here before they know it and the best Puck can come up with is a frozen breakfast food.

"Calm down Mama Bear, it was just an idea."

Puck shifts a bit closer to her on the couch, leans into her a little bit more. He doesn't tell her that he's been reading the baby name books when she's not around. That he's joking around because picking a name will make it more real, and he's kind of terrified. As much as he wants this, and how he loves that Santana is so excited by it, he's worried that he won't be good enough, that the shadow of his absent father will darken his ability to be a good one.

Santana knows. She knows the way his mind works, and she won't let that memory of his childhood ruin what they have made for themselves. They've worked too hard, and been through too much. She believes in him, even if he doesn't.

"You're nothing like your father Puck. Nothing."

Santana looks at him with her chocolate eyes full of clouds, while love and understanding creating an almost magnetic force around them. She puts he head down on his lap, and he plays with her hair, her curls like black silk through his fingers.

"Did you know that Jaffa means beautiful in Hebrew?"

She rolls over so she's facing him, his hands still tangled in her hair and her fingers lazily tracing patterns on his skin. Santana almost can't believe what she's hearing.

"What? Seriously, where do people come up with this shit?"

"No idea. But you gotta admit….it's a pretty cool name right?"

She elbows him in the ribs. She could have gone lower, she is after all lying in his lap, but she thinks she may save that for when he suggests something really stupid. Like naming their kid after a beer or something. Or a character from Super Mario- after some of the suggestions she's heard, she wouldn't put it past him.

He draws circles round her belly button, leans down and kisses her tummy.

"You know, that's probably her elbow" She's smiling and mischief is twinkling under her eyelashes.

Puck snorts, rolls his eyes. Lifts her top a little bit higher, exposing her caramel skin and their baby turning somersaults underneath it. He doesn't think he could be any more in love with her if he tried. She's beautiful, and she's adorably excited, and she's got that glow and shit.

"It could also be his head."

He kisses just under her ribs, feels a kick on his chin. He smiles up at her, and she swears she loves him so much it hurts.

"Or her foot…"

All of a sudden, he blows a raspberry against her warm tummy. It makes her jump, makes laughter bubble from her lips. He kisses her hair, breathes in the perfume of excitement, love and coconut shampoo.

"That was probably his tummy".

She takes his hand and tangles their fingers together, their hands resting in an easy knot on their unborn baby. Santana's engagement ring sparkles in the afternoon sunlight, matching the excited twinkle in both their eyes, and creating stars on their skin.

"What about Mahalia? Leah for short"

She raises her eyebrows. She hasn't heard this one before. She likes the way it sounds in her head.

"What does it mean?" She didn't used to care, but since has Puck has gotten all into the meaning of names since his mother bought him 1000 Baby Names, she kind of can't help it. And she thinks it's cute.

"It's Hebrew for tenderness."

Despite what everyone else thinks, what everyone else sees, their relationship has been built on tenderness from the very beginning. From when she popped the balloon against her skin and Puck kissed it better. From when Puck broke his arm being Super Mario, and she gave him the biggest hug she could, and a strawberry shortcake bandaid.

The name is perfect. She can see it written on birthday cards, on teddies, on hospital name bracelets. She can hear Puck singing it, and it makes the hair on her neck stand up. Shit, she can even imagine herself yelling it when the kid is in trouble. It is Puck's child after all.

The fading sunlight sets fire to their skin as Puck leans down and kisses her full on the mouth. Santana melts into him, all warm and rosy and overwhelmed with what they've done and not being able to imagine it any other way. They lie in jumbled happiness on the couch, while their baby dances cartwheels between them. Puck thinks the baby will be a football player, Santana will be damned if her daughter is a cheerleader. Puck thinks she'll look like Santana, with beautiful dark curls and chocolate eyes that are going to melt his heart. Santana is screwed if her son has Puck's attitude. Though she wouldn't mind a mini mowhawk. She snuggles into his chest as he knots their hands together again; playing with her wedding ring and feeling their unborn child lazily tumble under their fingers.

Yep, a little tenderness has gotten them a long way.


End file.
